Conveying, handling and packaging crackers have included the use of conveyor systems in which the crackers move seriatim in uniform orientation. Jamming, improper stacking, and other problems have been encountered due to disoriented crackers. Where crackers are conveyed in vertical orientation it is common that, from time to time, a cracker falls into the horizontal position. In cracker packaging where columns of crackers are formed, the horizontal cracker interferes with the formation of a proper cracker column prior to packaging and can, in addition, unwantingly enter and overload the package.
Prior efforts to solve or reduce this problem have included placing an opening in the conveyor system through which the disoriented cracker can fall thus removing it from the conveying process.